“Sammy has decided to carry on with Kenny”: Jason Bonham is no longer drumming in the Best Of All Worlds band
The band are due to commence a Las Vegas residency in 2025.
Image: Mindy Small / Getty
Jason Bonham has confirmed that he will no longer be drumming as part of the Best Of All Worlds band, with Kenny Aronoff now taking up the sticks in his place.
The Best Of All Worlds tour kicked off last July, with Joe Satriani, Michael Anthony, Sammy Hagar, and Bonham teaming up to play classic Van Halen material. Bonham pulled out of the last four dates to care for his mother, and Aronoff filled in during his absence.
Now, it seems Aronoff is taking up a permanent position behind the drums, as Hagar and co. are due to bring the Best Of All Worlds show to a 2025 Las Vegas residency from late April through to mid May across nine shows. Aronoff has worked with the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Jon Bon Jovi throughout his career, plus many more.
Bonham first confirmed that he would not be rejoining the Hagar-fronted band in a comment to a fan. In a post on Instagram, he shared live dates for his own Led Zeppelin Evening shows, under which a user asked if he would be rejoining the Best Of All Worlds outfit. “Sammy has decided to carry on with Kenny, so sadly no,” he replied.
In a press release announcing their Las Vegas residency (via Consequence), Hagar comments, “I’m so looking forward to this residency and being able to stay in one place so we can get the sound and production completely dialled in. It also allows the band to experiment with the setlist every night – that’s why it’s going to be exclusive to Las Vegas.
“Instead of travelling all day on tour when there’s no time to rehearse and make changes. I plan on digging deeper into the Van Halen catalogue, and my solo career, Montrose and Chickenfoot, as well. The fans are in for a lot of surprises.”
You can check out his announcement video below:
Tickets for the Best Of All Worlds residency go live via a pre-sale beginning Tuesday 19 November at 10am PST. General sale starts the following Friday at 10am PST. Jason Bonham is on tour now.
Rachel began writing for Guitar.com in 2021 while finishing up her degree. A proud DIY guitarist, she has been playing for over 10 years and has written for the likes of Kerrang!, The Forty-Five, and MusicTech. An enjoyer of all things heavy, you’ll find her at a festival or downtuning her guitars when away from her desk.